The blog is about health and gives useful information on health and disease.

Herbal

Not that Larch people are in any way inferior to others. More often than not, the negative Larch person is above average in his physical and mental condition and he may possess above-average qualities of head and heart, and may be capable of doing any job. His friends know it, his foes know it, his superiors know it and his juniors know it, but alas he does not know it and is not convinced when others tell him of it. Even when his well-wishers try to goad him to appear for his departmental examination, his stock reply is “What is the use” I know, I cannot pass the examination, why waste time, preparing for it.”But with all his diffidence and lack of confidence standing in the way of his own progress, he is not jealous of other’s progress. He is not bitter if his colleague gets ahead of him in service or business by his initiative. He may inwardly want that he should also progress as others, but he would always wish the others well.The foundation of such genuine inferiority feelings presumeably laid in infancy from the negative attitude of the parents, which sapped the self-confidence of the child and certainty of failure became an in-built automatic response.*134\308\8*

The modern men is so much awed by the nomenclature of diseases, the medical terminologies and the plentitude of drugs and wonder drugs, that he is not ready to believe that God, the almighty has provided us with a very simple and benevolent law of cure. Simple, yet to be realised by the acute observer only. One can easily observe this law in everyday life.

(i) The bee-sting produces swelling and stinging pains, ameliorated by cold. Yet if, there is swelling, with stinging pain which is ameliorated by cold, it is cured by applying macerated bees on the spot.

(ii) If there is blood discharge from the eyes excoriating discharge from the nose, which is ameliorated by cold, it is Cured by taking small amounts of diluted onion juice.

(iii) Continuous intake of juice of peepal leaf produces haemorrhage of bright red blood from the orifices of the body. Yet if there is haemorrhage of bright red blood, it is cured by taking a few drops of juice of peepal leaf.

These are simple examples expressed in a simple way. Every drug has wide range of action on the whole body. For proper application of drugs we have to study minutely the primary action of drugs in large doses on the human body. When we have fully understood and observed it’s action, then the same drug in small doses will be able to cure a similar condition which it is able to produce, and it is the natural law of cure:
“A drug which in large doses produce a disease in a healthy being is in small doses able to cure a person suffering from a similar disease”.

The approach of the so-called modern medicine is to suppress a single aspect of the disease by a number of drugs. The disease remains in the body, complexed with the remaining manifestations of the drug called it’s side-effects. The result is that there is a continuous attack on the immune system of the body resulting in a number of dreadful diseases.
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A child suddenly gets up from sleep with a shriek and clings to his mother in extreme terror. After a little while he falls back in peaceful sleep.
A child gets up from sleep at night and insists that all doors are closed and lights of the room kept on, or he cannot go to sleep for fear of what might happen. A young man went for an interview against a call for appointment as cashier in the bank. A cat crossed his path on the way. He had heard that if a cat crossed your way your errand is bound to fail. He was a superstitious person. A sort of fear assailed him that something might happen and he would fail in his mission. This fear assailed him during the interview and he failed.
Creepy sensation of fear, nightmares, superstitions, delusions, fear of an invisible power, of an occult phenomenon, fear of punishment by God for one’s sins where neither the time nor the nature of the punishment is specified, such vague fears which may result in internal or external trembling, fears which may cause great vexation but for which there is no medicine with our allopathic doctors, are relieved by ASPEN’ flower remedy.
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Herbs are available almost everywhere, where there is vegetation. If one tries to find out some literature on herbal medicines, he is usually encountered with volumes which gives detailed description of plants and their general use. It is very difficult for a person to differentiate among the use of plants. For example, Abroma augusta, Cephalandra indica, Gymnema sylvestris, Syzigium jambolana, etc. are all mentioned for treating diabetes. But it is difficult to find scientific guidelines for differentiation among them, so that a person is able to select a particular drug for a particular patient. The reason is very simple. In the sphere of drug therapy there is definite scientific law which is generally not adhered to. This results in the groping in the dark of the different drug therapies. The so-called modern medical system is further astray with it’s heavy doses of chemical and synthetic drugs.

When we talk of herbal medicines we generally talk of its economics. It is fashion to talk about tribal development through sale of herbal medicines. It is an irony that a tribal, surrounded by a treasure of medicinal plants is advised to be dependent on chemical and harmful drugs for common ailments. The treasure of medicinal plants should first be utilized for the physical and mental well-being of the tribals and the near by villagers.
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One of the major constraints in increasing the productivity of agricultural crops and timber yielding forest trees, is the damage caused by pests. A pest may be defined as ” any organism detrimental to man or his property in causing damage of economic importance”. It may also be defined as ” A species which because of its high numbers is able to inflict substantial harm to men, domestic animals or cultivated plants”. The pest is a broad term which includes organisms from various distinct groups like insects. Nematodes, Weeds, Rodents, birds and disease causing microbes. Out of them, insects and disease causing microbes, cause enormous damage to eco-momically important plants and plant products.

There are about one million insects, known out of which pests are about 15,000 and only 300 of them are of economic importance. These insect pests damage valuable plants of agriculture and forestry importance. Mention may be made of three insect pests one from agriculture and two from forestry.

Heliothis armigera
* Key-note address

Hubner syn.Helicoverpa armigera Hubner of Lepidop-tera; Noctuidae, is perceived by both farmers and researchers
I to cause serious losses to the crops. It is reported to darri’age 60 cultivated plant species and atleast 67 other species in 39 / families across Asia, Africa and Australia.lt is a polyphagous / pest and is commonly called as gram pod borer, tomato fruit I borer, cotton boll worm, American bollworm and is widely distributed. In India the ICRISAT surveys of farmers field reveal that the annual loss of major pulses like chickpea and pigeon pea exceeds $300 million per year and losses in other legumes, cotton, cereals and other crops add substantially to that total. The damage potential of H. armigera is so great that an average infestation of one larva per plant of pigeon pea can cause a yield loss of 1015 kg/ha. In Jowar, yield loss of 18-26% and in tomato 40-50% loss has been reported. Out break in the incidence of American Bollworm had reached in epidemic proportion in some districts of Andhra Pradesh and Punjab causing huge losses to cotton during 1987-88 as a result of which many farmer committed suicide. Recently, in 1993, winter proved to be worst for cotton growers of Panjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Against expected 50 lakh bales of desi and American var. of cotton this year the yield is expected to be down by 15 lakh bales, which means a net loss of Rs.1000 crores and also loss in revenue to the state governments.

Teak (Tectona grandis), one of the most important timber yielding plant, is widely grown in the forests of Madhya pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, etc. Its cultivation is one of the most important aspect of economy of this state of M.P. Teak suffers heavily from two lepidopteran insect pests which cause serious damage to the foliage, thus reducing the quality and yield considerably. Hyblaeapuera commonly known as teak defoliator, is a serious pest of teak whose larvae eat up whole of the leaf except midrib and thicker veins which is responsible for about 44% of loss of wood increment. Defoliation of teak foliage is followed by infestation by Eutectona machaeralis,
commonly called as teak skeletonizer, whose caterpillar eat
only the mesophyll leaving a network of veins. The growth oi
the plant is completely checked due to loss of photosynthetic
region. \.

Conventionally, insect pests are being managed by the ( use of chemical insecticides. The indiscriminate use of insecti- ] cides has done potential harm to the ecosystems. Dr. Ross Hall, a noted chemist and environmentalist of Canada stated i that to-day we live in a sea of chemicals which are posing many problems.

As a result of serious problems of chemical insecticide 1 application, an awareness has developed not only among environmentalists but also among consumers, Governments and common public and now this method of pest control has not been acceptable. Sophisticated, alternative, non-chemical, pest management systems are being developed to reduce total pesticide load on the environment. One of the most significant non-chemical method of pest control is known as Biological control.

Biological control may be defined as

“The action of parasites, predators and pathogens in maintaining another organisms density at a lower average than would occur in their absence”.

Biological control is a broad term in its true sense and pathogens are a part of such control measure. Pathogens or disease causing microbes occur every where and insects too suffer from them. A number of microbes including fungi, viruses, bacteria, protozoa and nematodes are causing diseases in insects naturally, thus managing their population at a level. Sometimes the insect diseases occur in epidemic form involving a large population of insects.Such microbes can be exploited for control or management of insects pest and the system is called as microbial control. There are many advantages of using microbes for managing insects pests -
They are highly specific, thus safe to nontarget organisms.
Absence of insect resistance.
They can be easily integrated with other control measures.
They can be easily produced in large scale and their application is cheap and easy.
They have no residual activity in environment.
They occur naturally.
HPwever, there are some drawbacks also -
1 Killing time may be more as they require an incubation period.
2. Production of some microbes which are obligate in nature may be expensive as they require living host for multiplication.

It is hoped that in coming years both these limitations may be overcome with the help of biotechnology. Microbial agents may be produced in large scales, formulated and applied in a variety of ways depending upon the characteristics of entomopathogen, the pest and the crop -
(i) Introduction: An exotic organism, is introduced in to an area where it becomes established and maintains the density of the insect population below the economic threshold.

(ii) Augmentation: This is the strategy of increasing the density of a native entomopathogen within the insect population to maintain the pest density at an acceptable level.

(iii) Inundation: This is an insecticidal approach. The microorganisms are propagated in the laboratory and applied in the same manner as an insecticide to pests at critical periods of the lifecycle of the pest for short term suppression of pest numbers.

(iv) Integrated Pest Management (IPM) This strategy involves the simultaneous or sequential use of several control methods in managing insect populations. This includes use of entomopathogen,low doses of insecticides, cultural methods, other parasites, predators, etc.

Now-a-days, there has been increased emphasis on investigating the use of entomopathogens as a complete or partial alternative to chemical insecticides in the developed countries like USA, USSR and UK etc. Many commercially prodxrced microbial insecticides based on either viruses, or bacteria or fungi are available in these countries under several trade names.

A microbial preparation and formulation for use in insect control programme is called as microbial insecticides.
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The general interpretation of dreams as practised by private individuals or by psychologists usually goes too far. It is interesting, however, that you may find an answer to some problem you have been looking for in vain while awake, the reason being that the rested brain is able to draw more logical conclusions. Some researchers and inventors have even found the solutions they were seeking while asleep and dreaming. The solutions were proved to be correct on subsequent examination of all the details involved.

According to God’s inspired writings in the Bible, the Creator revealed his purposes on several occasions in the form of prophetic dreams way back in antiquity. On the other hand, dreams can also be inspired by magic, metaphysical powers that are neither in harmony nor accord with the Almighty. Dreams have always had an important place in ancient cultures, as can be clearly seen from Daniel’s reports about King Nebuchadnezzar of ancient Babylon, as recorded in the Bible. However, the memorable dream in question, telling of a mighty tree, came in fact from God Almighty, and the King’s magicians and interpreters of dreams were unable to understand its meaning. No one but Daniel himself, with God’s help, succeeded in presenting the correct information to the frightened ruler. A similar thing happened to the Egyptian pharaoh in the time of Joseph. In that case, too, no one but Joseph knew the divine dream’s interpretation.

A slim figure can be obtained or retained by correct breathing. A ‘spare tyre’ will disappear more quickly if, at the same time, attention is given to the diet. Even if one is careless with the diet, correct breathing alone will ensure a 50 per cent success rate in achieving a good figure.

Anyone suffering from enlarged adenoids may do so because of faulty breathing, since it can lead to the formation of these growths of lymphoid tissue. On the other hand, correct breathing, day and night, will prevent them and even make existing ones recede.

If women would but breathe properly, most of their abdominal complaints, tumours and growths could be prevented. Confinements would be much easier because nervous congestions would disappear. Tight clothing, belts and tight-fitting elastic girdles should be avoided if abdominal breathing is to be unrestricted. It is preferable to exercise the abdominal muscles to maintain their elasticity, rather than to control their shape by girdles that restrict and only serve to weaken the muscles. As soon as such an artificial contrivance is removed, the muscles which have been kept in place by pressure alone will again bulge out and the whole purpose of maintaining a pleasing appearance will be defeated.

If you want to make your own sauerkraut, you might like to try the following recipe for sauerkraut with onion.

Shred a head of white cabbage, not too fine, not too coarse. Spread a layer about 2 cm thick (a little less than 1 inch) on the bottom of a container, preferably one made of wood or glazed earthenware. Scatter some juniper berries and mustard and coriander seeds over the cabbage and add a small pinch of salt. You can leave out the salt, but then add more mustard seeds to compensate. On top of this, place a layer of sliced onions about 1 cm (about Vi inch) thick. Add another layer of cabbage and seasoning, then onions; continue until the container is full. Press the cabbage and onions down firmly and cover the vegetables, using a lid or plate that will fit inside the neck of the container. Place a heavy stone on the lid to weigh it down, and allow the cabbage to ferment. If you want to speed up the fermentation process, dilute some yogurt ferment or whey concentrate with water and pour over the cabbage.

The visitor to Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf is greeted by millions of date palms. Growing in unspoilt, mineral-rich soil, they bring forth thousands of tons of a wonderful fruit sugar year by year, the great benefits of which, however, rarely extend beyond these geographical borders. It is a joy to admire the Arab children’s beautiful teeth, but the sight also fills the visitor with sadness. Why? On the one hand we are glad for the Arab children, but on the other hand we are sad because the teeth of our own children and youths, according to the reports of school dentists, are in a very poor state indeed.

When a person fasts the body has an opportunity to rid itself of accumulated harmful metabolic wastes. From time to time it is a good idea to plan ahead to have a fruit juice day and follow this up with one or two days of taking only clean pure water. However, before you begin the fast, make sure the bowels are empty. Mucilage-producing substances such as linseed or psyllium seed, or a herbal laxative, perhaps manna, will help move the bowels. If your liver is in good order you can then begin the fruit juice diet with orange, grapefruit or grape juice, according to what is in season. During the berry season, add berry juice to the list. Any wastes in the body will be eliminated and your organs will begin to function more efficiently.